Soften a Bit
by Swamp Fairy
Summary: A series of drabbles about the show. Some humorous, some angsty, some romantic. A whole smorgasbord of couples. Starts off with Loker and Cal bonding over a rather... shall we say... unusual topic.
1. Chapter 1 Two Twihards

**Short little one shot I wrote at like 11 at night, so forgive me if it's a little crazy... it wouldn't let me sleep.**

**Title: Two Twihards**

**Rating: K (for- well, nothing, really)**

**Summary: Loker and Lightman bond over a rather... shall we say... unusual topic.**

**Disclaimer: I write fanfiction. Really? Really? Well, since you said please, I own nothing.**

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"Alright," Gilian said, slamming her hands down on Lightman's desk. He looked up, leaning back in his chair.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked casually.

"I am tired of this," she hissed, bending down so their faces were only a few inches apart. "You have problems with Loker, that much is obvious. It's destroying our work environment, and it's time the two of you got over yourselves."

"So?" he asked, not worried in the least. "What do you plan on doing, mom?"

"I want you in my office, now. We are going to talk this out."

Rolling his eyes, Lightman stood up and followed her into the hall. In her office, Gillian had set two chairs in front of her desk. She sat in her big spinning chair and Lightman had to laugh at how serious she looked. This was a joke. Nothing more.

"Exactly what am I here?" asked Loker, following Ria through the door.

"Thanks, Torres," said Foster. "You can go now."

"Good luck," Ria said, smirking at Loker. "You have your hands full with these two."

"Hey!" Lightman called at her retreating back. "Watch the subordinance!"

"So," said Foster, folding her hands on her desk. "Lightman, you can start. What is your problem with Loker?"

Lightman shrugged, looking irritated. The disgust on his face was not a micro-expression. "He... doesn't try. He acts like he doesn't care, like nothing matters. Like all life is a breeze. Can I go now?"

"No," said Gillian. "Loker, your turn. How do you feel when he treats you like an inferior?"

"He is an inferior," muttered Lightman.

"What are you, a psychiatrist?" demanded Loker. Gillian waited patiently, so he finally answered. "It makes me feel like I am an inferior, and that's even worse than being treated like one."

"Well," said Gillian, smiling. "Progress."

"This is stupid," said Lightman. "Almost as bad as sparkling vampires."

"You read Twilight?" asked Loker, astonished.

"My daughter." Lightman waved it off, then froze. "Wait. How did you know it was Twilight?"

"My last girlfriend was a big fan," he admitted. "She kinda forced me into reading them."

"Really?" asked Lightman. "Edward or Jacob?"

"Jacob, of course," said Loker. "Always the underdog."

"Dog," Lightman chortled. "Yeah, me too. Edward was too creepy. I mean, he watched girls sleep because he had nothing better to do, for god's sake!"

"Bella always annoyed me," said Loker. "But in the movie, Alice was really hot."

"Really?" asked Lightman, standing up. "I thought Rosalie was hotter."

"She was hot, I suppose," argued Loker, also standing. "But she lacked a certain... prettiness that Alice had."

"Hold on!" interrupted Gillian. "We are not done here!"

"Yes, love," said Cal firmly. "We are."

He took the younger man and they walked out together, discussing the pros and cons of Nessie.

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**I don't own Lie to Me, or Twilight. I stole them, I admit it. Don't hurt me. I'll plead guilty. Anyways, review! S'il vous plait? More on the way. I take requests.**


	2. Chapter 2 Mischief Managed

**This chapter is for MacGyver- I hope you enjoy!**

**Title: Mischief Managed**

**Rating: K+ (for... erm... a 48 year-old in love with a 23 year-old)**

**Summary: Lightman thinks she's fragile. She proves him wrong.**

**Disclaimer: AHHHH! I DON'T OWN IT! DON'T HURT ME!**

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25 years. That was the age difference between the scientist Cal Lightman and his protegee, Ria Torres. Double and half a decade. A fourth of a century. When Lightman started kindergarten, Ria's parents had just met. When Lightman started high school, they started dating. When he started college, they got married. It wasn't until he landed his first job that she was even born. He had a daughter over half her age. It was a void. A huge gap. One that neither of them intended to cross. But, often times, things happen like dominoes. One thing happens that leads to another thing, that leads to another, to another, until a huge pile of dominoes surrounds you and you are left with something you never wanted in the first place.

And that was what Cal got when he brought Torres into the Lightman Group. A pile of dominoes. An emotional, rash, passionate young woman who seemed to leave young men melting in her wake. Loker was the first, then that idiot FBI boyfriend of hers. Then Lightman himself, and though he knew how wrong it was, that had never stopped him in the past. But the past is the past, and Ria was special.

He wasn't sure when it first was that found himself falling into the contours of her cinnamon skin, unable to pull himself out of her high cheek bones and sparking eyes and smooth mouth... He had her face memorized by now, every little detail. The sound of her voice, too. Everything about her.

For the first time, he hated his age. He had never minded being a little bit older, and women never seemed to mind, either. But 25 years? That was a stretch, even for him. He longed, desperately, to be even 15 years younger. But even 10 years was too much, when it came to Torres. No matter how tough she acted, they all could tell that she was on the edge.

It started with her father. Lightman knew all about him. He had abused her emotionally her whole life, and when she seven, physically, as well. Then she dated a series of awful men- beaters, cheaters, crooks, and just general scumbags. Then, as soon as she had finally found a decent guy, he got blown up and sent into a coma, from which he never recovered. For all Lightman knew, he was still a vegetable, being fed by a tube in his stomach.

Cal didn't want to hurt her. Never. But he didn't want to live the rest of his life, watching her and longing for her, either. But, he reminded himself, he was 48 and she was 23. She wouldn't want anything to do with him.

"Yo, Lightman," Ria called. He looked up. She stood in the door, a file in her hands. He cursed the sudden swoop in his stomach.

"What, Torres?" he asked. Using her last name was distancing language. But it didn't seem to help.

"New case." She tossed the files on his desk. "Ben asked me to give this to you."

"Thanks," he started. "Listen, Torres-"

"What?"

"Never mind."

"Alright," she said, turning to walk away.

"Wait!"

She turned around, staring at him expectantly. But for the first time in many years, Cal Lightman was speechless. Smirking, she walked over to his desk and bent down so their faces were only a few inches apart.

"Dilated pupils," she purred. "Shallow breathing, and, of course, the tell-tale lip-lick. Someone's in trouble!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he forced out. Then her lips were on hers and for one, blissful moment, his mind was wiped completely blank. Then her mouth was off his, but her face was still so close. What did she want? He searched for the answer in her eyes, but found nothing other than mischief.

"What about now?" she asked.

He shook his head wordlessly, unable to pull his eyes away from hers.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I don't like older men."

Then she was the door, in the hallway, walking away. And he was left with her hot breath in his mouth and the thought that she wasn't as fragile as he thought.

"She's playing with me," he murmured incredulously. And he had a feeling that he was in for the ride of his life.

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**Well, I ended up rewriting it three times. But I like the end-result. I hope you do to! How about you review and let me know? Stay tuned! As always, I take requests. I'm thinking the next chapter will be a Cal-Gillian or Eli-Ria fic. But let me know what you want, and I PROMISE to incorporate it! I got their ages from the ages of the actors, btw. Now. Please R-E-V-I-E-W!!!**


	3. Chapter 3 Christmas Guests

**This chapter is for BlueMidnightSun. Merry Christmas, and I hope you like it!!!**

**Summary: When you spend Christmas alone, it means nobody loves you (if anyone knows what show this quote is from, you get a cookie). **

**Title: Christmas Guests**

**Rating: PG-13, for mentioned abuse**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. N. O. T. H. I. N. G.**

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Christmas is a time of happiness. It is a time of of candy canes and mistletoe and presents and trees. But most importantly, it is a time of family. Husbands and wives, children and parents, sisters and brothers. This is the holiday you spend with the people who matter the most to you, snuggling by a fire and wishing for snow. But in the Lightman Group, not all was cheer.

Lightman got Emily for Christmas and was in an unusually good mood for once. Gillian was going to spend the holiday with her younger sister, and Ben was going home to his wife and twin babies. But for the first time, Loker was going to be alone for Christmas. And, because she was the only one feeling the same, Ria was the only one who noticed his gloomy silence.

"Bye, love," Lightman said, kissing her cheek. "Enjoy yourself."

"You too," Ria replied, forcing a smile. "Say hi to Emily for me."

"Will do. Hey, Foster, get back here! You're not getting away without saying goodbye."

As the two older psychologists embraced, Ria moved over to Loker, who was spinning moodily in his chair.

"Hey," she said. "What's up?"

"Nothing," he said, his forced smile obvious to even the untrained eye.

"Come on. What's wrong? It's almost Christmas!"

"Yeah. And when you spend Christmas alone, it means nobody loves you."

"You're spending Christmas alone?" she asked, surprised. "No family? No girlfriend?"

"You know my history with girls," he said bitterly. "And my dad just died a couple months ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Whatever. What are you doing for the holidays?"

"Actually, I'm spending them alone, too," she admitted. "I don't even have a tree. With Dupree gone... There's no way I would ever spend it with me father."

"You still have a father. You should be thankful for that."

"I'm going to tell you this once, so listen closely," she said, her eyes flaming up. "My father is a bas*erd. He abused me emotionally for my entire childhood, and from age seven up, physically as well. He broke my arm when I was thirteen and refused to take me to the hospital, making me walk by myself, three miles in the snow. Every Christmas, he would get hopelessly drunk and throw things at me. From age eleven up, I spent Christmas alone, under a bridge near our house. What you said about spending Christmas alone meaning no one loves you, it's true."

She stared at him for a moment, still angry, then her face crumpled and she was crying on his shirt, holding onto him as tightly as she could. He was her lifeline, at least for this moment. Talking about her childhood brought back memories. There was so much more. The drugs and sex, and the single suicide attempt that had landed her in the hospital with a severe concussion and broken bones. The many, many times she ran away. And the thing she had never, ever told anyone and never would: the broken body of the baby, at the bottom of the ravine.

That pure face, twisted up in fright, made her sick to her stomach. Her tears turned into body shaking sobs as the familiar guilt washed over her. The guilt and sickness and burning hatred. But Loker held her, held her and stroked her hair and back, held her until the sobs had finished. But even as her body fell still, she clung to him, pleading wordlessly.

"Alright," he said, standing up. "Come with me." She followed him without protest.

Outside, they realized that she had forgotten her jacket. Loker wordlessly wrapped his around her shoulders. She pulled it tight, breathing in the scent that was simply _him_. He helped her into his small, junk filled, car, and drove off. After 15 minutes, she ventured to ask, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," he answered mysteriously, and five minutes later, he pulled off into a small lots. As he helped her out of the car, she started laughing. They were in a field full of baby Christmas trees.

"Go ahead," he said, gesturing widely. "Pick one."

As she wandered off through the green, minty field, Loker headed over to the salesperson and purchased several big boxes. Watching him curiously, she didn't notice the tree in front of her until it was too late. Letting out a shriek, she went tumbling to the ground.

"Ria!" Loker called, leaping over the trees in his haste to reach her. Giving her a hand up, he asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, giggling, "And I think we found our tree."

He paid for the tree and put it in the back with the boxes.

"Christmas decorations," he explained.

"Thanks, but I have some."

"We're not going back to your house," he said. "My friend has a little cottage in the woods not too far from here. There's plenty of clothes and food. Neither one of us is going to be spending Christmas alone this year." He stopped the car for a moment, turning her face so she was staring in his eyes. "I want you to know that you aren't alone. _I_ care about you," he said.

She studied him for a moment, then gave in to the butterflies in her stomach.

"Thank you," she whispered and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. But he was already turning his head and her lips landed on his. For a moment, they stayed in that position, frozen by the warmth spreading out from their mouths. Then he turned away, muttering an awkward apology. But she saw him smirk, and as they drove off again, she noticed the another small box in the back seat. Mistletoe. Yes, it was going to be a good Christmas.

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**I will beg, if that makes a difference. Please, please, please, please, PLEASE review! As a Hanukkah gift? Or an early Christmas present? I do take requests, but if I don't get any, I'm going to do a Cal-Gillian chapter next. Now. Review!!!!!!!**


	4. Chapter 4 Tomorrow

**This one is for... well, it's for everyone who reviewed! Thanks a million! Oh, and the quote was, as many of you guessed, from the last episode of Bones.**

**Summary: Cal and Gil butt heads over Emily's newest boyfriend, and it leads to an unusual pairing of their own... A story told mostly in dialogue.**

**Title: Tomorrow**

**Rating: PG-13 (For mentions of S-E-X)**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, no. Don't hurt me. By a fan for fans.**

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"His name," Lightman said angrily, "is James. What type of stupid names is James?"

"He seems like a good kid," Foster put in to no avail.

"She stayed over at his house once. Did you know that? And her mother let her!"

"You don't know that they did anything. His car broke down."

"That's what they say!" Lightman exclaimed. A brief silence descended over the pair.

"She's too young!" Lightman added.

"She's old enough to be in love," Foster said.

"Love-shmove. They're screwing, I swear they are!"

"And if they are, what business of it is yours? Emily's old enough to make her own choices."

"I'm her father!" he roared. Another uneasy silence settled.

"Well it's not like you're a good role model. How old were you when you had your first time?"

"That's not important," he glowered. "And you, love, how old were you? Not till you were married, I bet. Huh? Huh? I'm right, aren't I?"

"Of course," Gil said, angry now. "You're always right! Whether it's about being a father, being a boss, or being a friend, you always have to know best, don't you? The infallible Cal Lightman strikes again, right? You see yourself as some sort of superhero, that much above the rest of us mortals down here, but you won't look what's staring you in the face!"

Cal was silent for a moment, processing what she said, but instead of growing angry, he grew concerned. He gently cupped her face in his hand.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked softly.

"It's... it's nothing," she said, looking down. But a tear slid down her cheek. Lightman wiped it away with his thumb, turning her head to face him.

"No," he argued. "It's not nothing. What happened?"

"Alec wants us to get back together."

"And what do you want?" Cal asked, a sudden hollowness in his chest. Gillian was crying harder now and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"I don't know," she whispered through her tears. "I just don't know."

Lightman pulled his fingers through her hair, ran his hand down her back. Even though she was crying, it was nice to just hold her. Longing rushing over him, he pushed his face in her hair, breathing in the scent that was so distinctively _her._ He wasn't sure how much time passed, but her sobs grew smaller and smaller. But still, she didn't let go.

Finally, as the clock chimed ten, she pulled away, saying, "You better go make sure Emily and James aren't doing anything you wouldn't want."

"She can take care of herself for one night. She's a big girl," said Lightman. "What about you? And Alec?"

"I'll be fine. And I've made up my mind. I'm not going back to him."

"Why?" he asked, closely watching her face.

"Goodnight, Cal," she said, then after a moments hesitation, she stood up and quickly kissed his mouth. He stood, shocked, as she made her way to the door.

"Gillian," he called. She stopped and turned, bathed by moonlight from the window. "That was a lame kiss."

"Then we'll try again tomorrow," she answered, smiling. As the door swang shut behind her, he muttered, "That we will."

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**Not quite certain how I feel about this. But then again, I don't ship this couple as obsessively as I do Loker-Torres, so it was much harder to write. But. What did you think? How'd I do? Any requests? I have no clue what to do next, so... please review!**


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